House of Lords reception - 16 November 2012

The ninth annual House of Lords reception took place on Friday 16 November and was attended by 330 alumni, friends and supporters of the University. Alumni in attendance came from across the University’s disciplines and ranged from graduates of the 1940s to those who recently graduated.

Following tours of the Palace of Westminster, guests were warmly welcomed by their host, Lord Hannay of Chiswick; the University’s Chancellor, Sir Dominic Cadbury; and the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor David Eastwood. Professor Eastwood announced that the Circles of Influence campaign had raised £115 million and, due to the incredible generosity of alumni and supporters, we are on track to meet our new £160 million target which will have life-changing impact. Professor Eastwood also announced that planning permission has recently been granted for our 21st century Library and Sports Centre, both of which will be exciting new additions to Birmingham's beautiful estate. Project Champions Diane Job (Director of Library Services) and Zena Wooldridge (Director of Sport) were on hand before and after the speeches to meet with alumni to talk about these new and exciting projects for the University, and discuss how alumni could get involved.

This incredibly popular reception was an enjoyable evening of conversation with old classmates and new friends. Wine and canapés were served throughout the evening as alumni enjoyed the stunning views of the Thames, the London Eye and other landmarks from the terrace. Alumni were especially keen to meet with current students and ask them about life on today’s thriving campus. Alumni were joined by three of our Access to Birmingham Scholarship recipients, Kalita, Matthew and Sarah. Now in its sixth year, we have received more applications and were able to award more places than ever before, enforcing our commitment to fair access to university education.

Thank you to everyone who attended and made the evening such an enjoyable and memorable occasion. Find out more about our Circles of Influence campaign.

Next year’s reception will take place in autumn 2013. Details of the event will be emailed to all alumni in the UK and online booking will be available in August. To ensure you receive details of the next event, please visit www.your.bham.ac.uk to update your details.